Quantitative charging apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for quantitative charging of a high accuracy and a large weighing speed are disclosed. A storage cup, which is formed by a main storage cup and four subtractive storage cups, and four additive storage cups are disposed. The storage cup stores articles having a weight which is close to a target weight. A capacity ratio between the subtractive storage cups and a capacity ratio between the additive storage cups are both set 1:2:4:8. Articles are supplied from a charging apparatus into the storage cup and the four additive storage cups. The articles within the storage cup are weighed by a load cell as a rough charging weight, and a weight difference between the rough charging weight and the target weight is calculated. A proper combination of the additive storage cups or the subtractive storage cups is selected in accordance with the weight difference, and the articles are discharged from these cups together with the articles which are stored within the main storage cup through a chute into a container or a packing machine.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A quantitative charging apparatus, comprising: a storage cup which includes one main storage cup of a predetermined capacity and a plurality of subtractive storage cups each of a predetermined capacity so as to store articles having a weight which is close to a target weight W o  within said main storage cup and said subtractive storage cups, each of the main storage cup and subtractive storage cups having a discharge gate;   a plurality of additive storage cups each of a predetermined capacity so as to store articles for adding, each of the additive storage cups having a discharge gate;   weighing means for weighing the total weight of articles which are supplied into said main storage cup and each of said subtractive storage cups as a rough charging weight W a  ; and   control means for comparing said target weight W o  and said rough charging weight W a , when said rough charging weight W a  is smaller than said target weight W o , said control means calculating an underweight W b  =W o  -W a , selecting a combination of said additive storage cups based on the weight of articles stored in each of said additive storage cups which is calculated from a bulk specific gravity of the articles obtained from the total capacity of the main storage cups and all subtractive storage cups and said rough charging weight W a  so that the combination becomes closest said underweight W b , and thereafter discharging the articles stored within said additive storage cups which are selected together with the articles stored in said storage cup by opening the respective discharge gates, but when said rough charging weight W a  is larger than said target weight W o , said control means calculating an overweight W c  =W a  -W o , selecting a combination of said subtractive storage cups based on the weight of articles stored in each of said subtractive storage cups which is calculated from said bulk specific gravity of the articles so that the combination becomes closest said overweight W c , and thereafter discharging the articles stored within said subtractive storage cups which are not selected, by opening the respective discharge gates, together with the articles stored in said main storage cup.   
     
     
       2. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein some of said subtractive storage cups have the same capacity. 
     
     
       3. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein a capacity ratio between some of said subtractive storage cups is   1:r.sup.1 :r.sup.2 : . . . :r.sup.k-1 : . . . :r.sup.n-1     wherein: r is a positive real number, 0<k≦n, and n≦the number of said subtractive storage cups.   
     
     
       4. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 3, wherein said positive real number r=2. 
     
     
       5. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 3, wherein said positive real number r=3. 
     
     
       6. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein some of said additive storage cups have the same capacity. 
     
     
       7. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein a capacity ratio between some of said additive storage cups is   1:s.sup.1 :s.sup.2 : . . . :s.sup.k-1 : . . . :s.sup.n-1     wherein: s is a positive real number, 0<k≦m, and m≦the number of said additive storage cups.   
     
     
       8. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 7, wherein said positive real number s=2. 
     
     
       9. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 7, wherein said positive real number s=3. 
     
     
       10. A quantitative charging apparatus, comprising: a storage cup which includes one main storage cup of a predetermined capacity and one or a plurality of subtractive storage cups each of a predetermined capacity so as to store articles having a weight which is close to a target weight W o  within said main storage cup and said subtractive storage cups, each of the main storage cup and one or a plurality of subtractive storage cups having a discharge gate;   a plurality of additive storage cups each of a predetermined capacity so as to store articles for adding, each of the additive storage cups having a discharge gate;   weighing means for weighing the total weight of articles which are supplied into said main storage cup and each of said subtractive storage cups as a rough charging weight W a  ; and   control means for calculating a weight difference W d  =W a  -W o  between said target weight W o  and said rough charging weight W a , selecting said subtractive storage cups to be subtracted from said weight difference W d  and said additive storage cups to be added to said weight difference W d  based on the weight of articles stored in each of said subtractive storage cups and said additive storage cups which is calculated from a bulk specific gravity of the articles obtained from the total capacity of the main storage cups and all subtractive storage cups and said rough charging weight W a  so that the combination becomes closest said weight difference W d , and thereafter discharging the articles stored within said subtractive storage cups which are not selected and the articles stored within said additive storage cups which are selected, by opening the respective discharge gates, together with the articles stored in said main storage cup.   
     
     
       11. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 10, wherein some of said subtractive storage cups have the same capacity. 
     
     
       12. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 10, wherein a capacity ratio between some of said subtractive storage cups is   1:r.sup.1 :r.sup.2 : . . . :r.sup.k-1 : . . . :r.sup.n-1     wherein: r is a positive real number, 0<k≦n, and n≦the number of said subtractive storage cups.   
     
     
       13. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 12, wherein said positive real number r=2. 
     
     
       14. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 12, wherein said positive real number r=3. 
     
     
       15. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least some of said additive storage cups have the same capacity. 
     
     
       16. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 10, wherein a capacity ratio between at least some of said additive storage cups is   1:s.sup.1 :s.sup.2 : . . . :s.sup.k-1 : . . . :s.sup.n-1     wherein: s is a positive real number, 0<k≦m, and m≦the number of said additive storage cups.   
     
     
       17. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 16, wherein said positive real number s=2. 
     
     
       18. The quantitative charging apparatus of claim 16, wherein said positive real number s=3. 
     
     
       19. Apparatus for delivering quantities of product with each quantity being of an acceptable weight relative to a target weight Wo, said apparatus comprising: a main storage cup and one or more subtractive storage cups, said main storage cup and said one or more subtractive storage cups having combined capacities sufficient to hold a quantity of product having a rough charging weight Wa close to said target weight, each subtractive storage cup having a predetermined capacity and each being adapted to hold a predetermined weight of product calculated as a function of said predetermined capacity and a bulk specific gravity of the product obtained from the total capacity of the main storage cup and all subtractive storage cups and said rough charging weight Wa, each of the main storage cup and one or more subtractive storage cups having a discharge gate;   a plurality of additive storage cups, each having a predetermined capacity and each being adapted to hold a predetermined weight of product calculated as a function of the predetermined capacity of the storage cup and said bulk specific gravity of the product, each of the additive storage cups having a discharge gate;   a weigher for determining the rough charging weight Wa of product in said main storage cup and said one or more subtractive storage cups;   a control system for comparing said target weight Wo and said rough charging weight Wa;   said control system being operable if the rough charging weight Wa is less than said target weight Wo to (1) calculate an underweight Wb=Wo-Wa, (2) select a combination of one or more additive storage cups holding a combined product weight close to said underweight Wb, and (3) unload the product stored in the main storage cup, said one or more subtractive storage cups and said one or more additive storage cups of the selected combination, by opening the respective discharge gates to effect a delivery of product of acceptable weight; and   said control system being operable if the rough charging weight Wa is greater than said target weight Wo to (1) calculate an overweight Wc=Wa-Wo, (2) select a combination of one or more subtractive storage cups holding a combined product weight close to said overweight Wc, and (3) unload the product stored in the main storage cup and any subtractive storage cup or cups not included in the selected combination, by opening the respective discharge gates to effect a delivery of product of acceptable weight.   
     
     
       20. Apparatus for delivering quantities of product with each quantity being of an acceptable weight relative to a target weight Wo, said apparatus comprising a main storage cup and one or more subtractive storage cups, said main storage cup and said one or more subtractive storage cups having combined capacities sufficient to hold a quantity of product having a rough charging weight Wa close to said target weight, each subtractive storage cup having a predetermined capacity and each being adapted to hold a predetermined weight of product calculated as a function of said predetermined capacity and a bulk specific gravity of the product obtained from the total capacity of the main storage cup and all subtractive storage cups and said rough charging weight Wa, each of the main storage cup and one or more subtractive storage cups having a discharge gate;   a plurality of additive storage cups, each having a predetermined capacity and each being adapted to hold a predetermined weight of product calculated as a function of the predetermined capacity of the storage cup and said bulk specific gravity of the product, each of the additive storage cups having a discharge gate;   a weigher for determining the rough charging weight Wa of product in said main storage cup and said one or more subtractive storage cups;   a control system for calculating a weight difference Wd=Wa-Wo between the target weight Wo and said rough charging weight Wa, for selecting a combination of one or more subtractive storage cups having weights to be subtracted from said weight difference Wd and/or one or more additive storage cups having weights to be added to said weight difference Wd so that the combination has a weight close to said weight difference Wd, and for unloading the product stored in the main storage cup, in any additive storage cup or cups of the selected combination, and in any subtractive storage cup or cups not included in the selected combination, by opening the respective discharge gates, to effect a delivery of product of acceptable weight.   
     
     
       21. A method of delivering quantities of product with each quantity being of an acceptable weight relative to a target weight Wo, said method utilizing a main storage cup, one or more subtractive storage cups, and a plurality of additive storage cups, each of said subtractive and additive storage cups having a predetermined capacity, said product having a bulk specific gravity, said method comprising loading the main storage cup,   filling the one or more subtractive storage cups and the additive storage cups,   weighing the product in the main storage cup and in the one or more subtractive storage cups to determine a rough charging weight of product in the main storage cup and the one or more subtractive storage cups;   determining the weight of product in each of the subtractive and additive storage cups by using the bulk specific gravity of the product and the predetermined capacity of the storage cup;   comparing said target weight Wo and said rough charging weight Wa;   if the rough charging weight Wa is less than the target weight Wo, calculating an underweight Wb=Wo-Wa, selecting a combination of one or more additive storage cups holding a combined product weight close to said underweight Wb, and unloading the product stored in the main storage cup and said one or more additive storage cups of the selected combination to effect a delivery of product of acceptable weight; and   if the rough charging weight Wa is greater than said target weight Wo, calculating an overweight Wc=Wa-Wo, selecting a combination of one or more subtractive storage cups holding a combined product weight close to said overweight Wc, and unloading the product stored in the main storage cup and any subtractive storage cup or cups not included in the selected combination to effect a delivery of product of acceptable height.   
     
     
       22. A method of delivering quantities of product with each quantity being of an acceptable weight relative to a target weight Wo, said method utilizing a main storage cup, one or more subtractive storage cups, and a plurality of additive storage cups, each of said subtractive and additive storage cups having a predetermined capacity, said product having a bulk specific gravity, said method comprising loading the main storage cup,   filling the one or more subtractive storage cups and the additive storage cups,   weighing the product in the main storage cup and the one or more subtractive storage cups to determine a rough charging weight of product in the main storage cup and the one or more subtractive storage cups;   determining the weight of product in each of the subtractive and additive storage cups by using the bulk specific gravity of the product and the predetermined capacity of the storage cup;   comparing said target weight Wo and said rough charging weight Wa;   calculating a weight difference Wd=Wa-Wo between the target weight Wo and said rough charging weight Wa;   selecting a combination of one or more subtractive storage cups having weights to be subtracted from said weight difference Wd and/or one or more additive storage cups having weights to be added to said weight difference Wd so that the combination has a weight close to said weight difference Wd; and   unloading the product stored in the main storage cup, in any additive storage cup or cups of the selected combination, and in any subtractive storage cup or cups not included in the selected combination, to effect a delivery of product of acceptable weight.